The present disclosure relates to a hinge having a hinge part, which is fixable on a door or flap of an item of furniture or domestic appliance in particular, and which is mounted so it is pivotable on a side part via a support lever and a guide lever, at least one spring, by means of which the hinge part is pre-tensioned in a closed position in a self-retraction range of the hinge, and a linear damper having a piston rod, which is movable in relation to a damper housing, for damping a closing and opening movement of the hinge part, wherein a deflection element is provided, which is mounted so it is rotatable about an axis on the side part and is arranged between the damper and the guide lever, to move the damper to generate a damping force during a closing movement of the hinge part.
EP 2 176 486 discloses a hinge, in which a hinge part is mounted so it is pivotable on a side part, in which a linear damper is arranged. During a closing movement of the hinge part, the linear damper, which is designed as a compression damper, is compressed and decelerates the closing movement to avoid slamming of the door. Such a hinge has proven itself in practice and is advantageously installed in various items of furniture. However, during an opening movement of the door, deceleration on stopping can produce substantial material strain.
The present disclosure illustrates and describes a hinge which may provide for improved handling.
According to the disclosure, the hinge has a deflection element arranged between the guide lever and the linear damper, which moves the damper to generate a damping force during a closing movement of the hinge part and additionally moves the damper to generate a damping force during an opening movement of the hinge part before reaching the maximally open position. The linear damper is actuated via the deflection element so that a damping force is generated during a closing movement of the hinge part before reaching the closed position and also a damping force is generated during an opening movement of the hinge part shortly before reaching the maximally open position. The linear damper can be used both for closing damping and also opening dampening. During an opening movement of the hinge, slamming is therefore avoided upon reaching the maximally open position, because the opening movement is decelerated by the linear damper shortly before the open position. This reduces the material strain during a rapid opening movement, because an abrupt deceleration in the maximally open position is avoided.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening damping is active at least in an angle range of at least 10°, for example, at least 20°, before the maximally open position of the hinge part. The beginning of the opening damping can be selected depending on the maximally open position of the hinge part, which can be arranged, for example, at 90°, 100°, or 110°. At least damping over an angle range of greater than 20° can ensure sufficient deceleration in the opening direction by the linear damper.
The direction of the relative movement between piston rod and damper housing during a closing procedure of the hinge in the closing damping range of the hinge may be the same as the direction as during the opening procedure of the hinge in the opening damping range. The relative movement is to be understood as a movement between the piston and the damper housing, independently of which of the two bodies is actually moved. It is also possible that both bodies move simultaneously. If a compression damper is used, which generates a damping force during the retraction of the piston rod into the damper housing, the piston rod may therefore be retracted into the damper housing both during the closing damping and also during the opening damping. Vice versa, if a traction damper is used, the piston rod is extended out of the damper housing in the damping range in each case, both during the opening damping and also during the closing damping.
The deflection element, which is mounted on an axis, preferably executes a pendulum movement during a movement from the completely closed position of the hinge part to the completely open position of the hinge part. A pendulum movement in this case means a movement which firstly includes a rotational movement in one direction and then a rotational movement in the opposite direction. The movement direction of the pendulum movement of the deflection element reverses in this case from a movement from a completely closed position of the hinge part into the completely open position of the hinge part between the closing damping range and the opening damping range. This enables the use of a single linear damper to provide both opening damping and also closing damping.
The stroke of the linear damping during closing damping may be greater than the stroke of the linear damper during opening damping. With equal rotational velocity of the hinge part in relation to the side part, the damping forces during closing are therefore greater than during opening. Usually, the door is slightly decelerated in any case during opening, so that lower damping forces can be selected, which are perceived to be less annoying by the user, when he moves the door against the damping forces.
The damper may be designed as a compression damper, in which higher damping forces are generated during the retraction of the piston rod into the damper housing than during the extension of the piston rod out of the damper housing. A particularly compact construction can thus be obtained, because compression dampers in shorter construction can be used.
In another embodiment, the damper may be designed as a traction damper, in which higher damping forces are generated during the extension of the piston rod out of the damper housing than during the retraction of the piston rod into the damper housing.
The spring which pre-tensions the hinge in the closed position in a self-retraction range of the hinge may also be designed as an opening hinge, which moves the hinge part into the completely open position from an opening angle of the hinge. In another embodiment, this function can also be assumed by at least one separate opening spring, so that a closing spring and an opening spring are provided.